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IMPRESSIONS: A Wild Ride with the Young Boy Dancing Group at Performance Space New York
By Henning Rübsam
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Published on September 9, 2024
Photo by Henning Rübsam
WHERE: Performance Space New York
WHEN: April 11- 13, 2024 @ 7 PM
WHO: Manu Anima, Ange Halliwell, Caleb Kruzel, Maria Mersalu, NicaRoses, Nuur Salam, Madison Wada
Co-presented with OCDChinatown and made possible by The Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, the Young Boy Dancing Group delivered a memorable feast for the senses at Performance Space New York, in April.
From the moment I set foot in the elevator, I realized I was in for a wild ride, since two performers groped and tongued one another in the tightly confined capsule. Momentarily exposed balls suggested a “costume malfunction,” however, on the upper floor, it became apparent that the exposure must have been intentional. A drink cart made out of a bent over bare-buttocked man on wheels with a tray on his back, pushed around for refreshments, caused wonderment.
I found a seat and could not help but notice what appeared to be a giant glue trap in the middle of the studio. Instead of helping to eradicate the rodent problem in the city, however, this space turned into a slippery playpen. The gooey substance dripping from bags hung above lubricated the proceedings.
In addition to plenty of kink, the performers managed to cook a soup with produce they picked from various nooks and crannies of the room. While the performers collected florets of broccoli and a few carrots with ease, theyformed a moving human stepladder to support one performer as he foraged for mushrooms suspended by strings. During the remainder of the performance, the stew simmered quietly in the corner on a hotplate.
Movement phrases parted the crowd; and audience members in chairs had to adjust their seats while standees had an easier time getting out of the way. As one moved with the performers, a communal bond developed. A cello player (or was it a harpist? My memory plays tricks on me) accompanied the ritual. Dressed in plenty of panties and bras, albeit not always in the usual places, the performers eventually reached the playpen. Here they skidded across in various positions. Which digit entered what orifice I simply can’t recall. What endeared me to this troupe was the sense of care they exhibited for another and the joy they celebrated together. The farcical absurdity struck my sense of humor, and, in the end, I accepted the carrot in a lubricated butthole as simply inevitable.
The invitation to help oneself to some soup ended the show.
As the program does not list a choreographer or director, I assume the performers work collaboratively. Congratulations to Manu Anima, Ange Halliwell, Caleb Kruzel, Maria Mersalu, NicaRoses, Nuur Salam, and
Madison Wada.
